Federal relief unlikely to help with storm costs

Officials: Costs at $10K to $25K for OT, materials

1:02 AM,
Feb. 2, 2014

City employee Timothy Bass spreads salt along the Glendale Avenue bridge in Hattiesburg as patches of ice begin to form Tuesday. Hattiesburg officials expect costs related to the winter storm will be less than $25,000.

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Last week's sleet storm that coated the Pine Belt in a two-day layer of ice likely will cost local governing bodies some cold cash.

Though local cities and counties declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, the weather event likely will not rise to the level necessary of federal disaster criteria that would trigger a partial reimbursement.

"This was more an inconvenience versus (an event causing) substantial damage to homes and county infrastructure," said James Smith, Lamar County Emergency Management Agency director. "I think that's a big difference in it." ...